How The Szapolyai Family Was Remembered From The 16th To The 20th Century

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MOHÁCS 1526–2026

RECONSTRUCTION AND REMEMBRANCE

A F orgotten
H ungAriAn r oyAl D ynAsty :
of members of the family’s first generation, which made them
THE SZAPOLYAIS
Edited by
Pál FoDor and szAbolcs VArgA

no longer sufficient for effective governance. The country became


Contents

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PÁL FODOR – SZABOLCS VARGA


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TIBOR NEUMANN
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TIBOR NEUMANN – SZABOLCS VARGA


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NORBERT C. TÓTH
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PÁL FODOR – TERÉZ OBORNI


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5
PÉTER KASZA
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ISTVÁN H. NÉMETH
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JÁNOS B. SZABÓ
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ZOLTÁN CSEPREGI
Religious Literature and Reformation in the Territories Ruled
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PÁL ÁCS
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ORSOLYA BUBRYÁK
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SZABOLCS VARGA
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PÉTER KASZA – TERÉZ OBORNI – SZABOLCS VARGA


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6
Szabolcs Varga*

HOW THE SZAPOLYAI FAMILY


WAS REMEMBERED FROM
THE 16TH TO THE 20TH CENTURY1

INTRODUCTION

Hungarian historical memory has treated the Szapolyais with extreme negligence,
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RIPHPRU\˭ loci memoriae, OLHXGHPªPRLUH ᦲ related to the Hunyadi family can
be found both outside the current borders of Hungary, as in Nándorfehérvár
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family.ᦳ One could of course rightly argue that the Hunyadi family deserves to
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Kingdom of Hungary of the late Middle Ages, was an outstanding politician,
victorious military leader and a generous patron all in one. The members of the
Hunyadi family were, as research reveals, far from impeccable, however.ᦴ'HVSLWH
WKLVVWDUWLQJIURPWKHPLGGOHWKLUGRIWKHᦱᦶWKFHQWXU\WKHIDPLO\˭VFXOWZDV
constantly enriched. In the light of their acknowledged political achievements,
the history of the Hunyadi family has become a living historical memory, with
its own rites and sites in the Carpathian basin.

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Pálosfalvi for his help in the writing of this essay.
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311
SZABOLCS VARGA

As regards the Szapolyai family, we are not today able to speak of a living
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estates, constructions and the humanists that so frequently appeared at their
court could all have played their part in building up a cult around the family.ᦵ
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WKH FKDSHO RI 6]HSHVKHO\ 6SLĢVN¢ .DSLWXOD  ORFDWHG LQ WKH 6]HSHVVªJ 6SLĢ 
region, which was the ancestral territory of the family, all had the potential
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not.ᦶ This phenomenon is understandable, given that it took place in the early
modern period, since this is when the region came under the rule of Holy Roman
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.DVVD .RĢLFH ᦷ the coat of arms of the Szapolyai family was torn down and
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no living cult of the Szapolyai family, so the family entered modern historical
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origin.ᦸ 7KLV LV ZK\ .LQJ -RKQ˭V IXOO̐JXUH VWDWXH ZDV LQFOXGHG DPRQJ WKH
sculptures decorating the Hungarian parliament building in Budapest, on the
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his lord in his right hand, while folding down the eagle banner of the defeated
Habsburgs with his left. The message of the piece is symbolic, with Szapolyai,
representing the nation, depicted as the governor of Austria and Vienna.ᦱᦰ
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cited as good examples of this.
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down and desecrated by binding to a dog and burning it. The poor animal was then chased
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Sectio Philosophica ᦱᦳᦳ ᦲᦰᦰᦸ ᦱᦶᦵ˩ᦱᦷᦶ
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312
HOW THE SZAPOLYAI FAMILY WAS REMEMBERED FROM THE 16TH TO THE 20TH CENTURY

Hungarian national architecture,ᦱᦱ a copy of which was built in Budapest for


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called in this period, was commemorated by merely having a few streets named
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bearing the name Zápolya. This, however, lasted no longer than a couple of
decades, as following the change of regime in Transylvania, street names were
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The dominant culture in connection with the Szapolyai family is that of
silence, which explains why there are so few records of its members in the
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any kind of cult; neither were his wife or child perceived in an especially positive
way. In stories that emerged from time to time about their lives, they either
featured as people who had failed in their ambitions or their example stood as a
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family was perceived developed hand in hand with the changes in the layers of
memory regarding the Battle of Mohács and was inseparably intertwined with
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Szapolyai cannot be regarded the primary cause of the painful strokes of fate that
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Hungarian history. This process is presented below.

THE 16TH AND 17TH CENTURIES


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wisdom, who also obtained outstanding experience in military matters.” If only
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313
SZABOLCS VARGA

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had to face allegations formulated by writers opposing him, who either concealed
his existence, like Cuspinianus,ᦱᦵRUFODLPHGOLNH3DXOXV,RYLXV 3DROR*LRYLR 
that he was openly happy about the death of his king. The memoirs of György
6]HUªPLFRQWDLQVWKHFRPSOHWHOLVWRIWKHVLQVFRPPLWWHGE\WKH6]DSRO\DLVᦱᦶ
István Szapolyai played dirty and killed King Matthias, and received the Eucharist
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his country and his king, and years before the Battle of Mohács he had made an
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sure the Ottomans would win.ᦱᦷ+HZDVUHJDUGHGDVDˬFRZDUGO\.LQJ&DWKOHQH˭
˩WKHUHFRXOGKDUGO\EHDQ\ELJJHULQVXOWWKDQWKLVLQDVRFLHW\EXLOWRQEUDYHU\
and masculine bravado.ᦱᦸ6]HUªPL˭VWH[WLVQRWKLQJEXWWKHYRLFHRIWKHPDVVHV
DQGLWPXVWKDYHEHHQZULWWHQDIWHU.LQJ-RKQ˭VGHDWK7KHLOOZLOOHGDXWKRUGLG
not have to hold himself back, not even for fear of punishment, but this does not
mean he can be ignored. The most far-fetched stories must have been circulating
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An example is his secret meeting with Ibrahim, which is also mentioned by the
unknown author of the work Memoria rerum.ᦱᦹ<HWHYHQWKLVH[FHVVLYHO\QHJDWLYH
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and he was prudent in dealing with various matters, but as king he did not dare
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God had taken away his valour.”ᦲᦰ )URP DOO WKLV LW IROORZV WKDW ᦱ WKH JHQHUDO
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had a much more positive opinion of Szapolyai, but that image has since
completely faded away. How these related to each other and how they were
connected in time can only be reconstructed after a more thorough investigation.

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Gestaᦷᦱ ᦲᦰᦰᦷ ᦵᦲ
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SDVWRUFDPSLXWGHIHQGHUHWDJQHORVDOXSLEXV6XEPROOLSDVWRUHOXSXVODQDPFDFDW.
ᦱᦹ˘Memoria rerum, ᦲᦵ
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suam. Szerémi, (POªNLUDWᦱᦴᦴ

314
HOW THE SZAPOLYAI FAMILY WAS REMEMBERED FROM THE 16TH TO THE 20TH CENTURY

On the basis of contemporary memories and historiographical texts


UHJDUGLQJ -RKQ HYHQ DQ LPDJH RI D JRRG NLQJ FRXOG EH SUHVHQWHG +LV WLPH
as voivode of Transylvania is a clear success story,ᦲᦱ one that has visibly been
commemorated on a beautifully adorned door-frame in a house in Kolozsvár,
built according to tradition by the city as a sign of its gratitude. The inscription
UHDGDVIROORZV˰7RKLVORUGVKLSYRLYRGH-RKQ=¢SRO\DLQWLPHVRIFUXVDGHVWKH
OXFN\ZLQQHU%HUQ¢UGWKHSDLQWHUᦱᦵᦱᦴ˱ᦲᦲ He was the most successful Hungarian
military leader, one who victoriously defended the province entrusted to him
and lead campaigns south of the Carpathians several times. His contemporaries
FRXOGWKXVKDUGO\KDYHEHHQVKRFNHGZKHQ-¢QRV6WDWLOHRHUHFWHGRQKLVRUGHUV
-RKQ+XQ\DGL˭VWRPEVWRQHLQ*\XODIHKªUY¢ULQᦱᦵᦳᦳᦲᦳ By this, Szapolyai wished
openly to demonstrate to the public the continuation of the politics of the
Hunyadis, and to exploit the growing popularity of the cult of Matthias. In a
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7KH VRXUFH WKDW EHVW GHVFULEHV -RKQ˭V SHUVRQDOLW\ LV D PHPRLU ZULWWHQ
posthumously in Hungarian. The identity of the author remains uncertain,ᦲᦴ but
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DQGKXPEOH.LQJ-RKQ˱ZKRHQMR\HGJUHDWSRSXODULW\DPRQJKLVSHRSOHLVWUHDWHG
with deep respect. According to his description, when the people of Buda caught
VLJKW RI WKH SUHJQDQW ,VDEHOOD PDQ\ RI WKHP H[FODLPHG ˰0D\ *RG JLYH RXU
Hungarian homeland a Hungarian prince, so we will not be dependent on another
nation and Hungarian blood will not die out.”ᦲᦵ This overt expression of emotion
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̐OOHGZLWKVRPHNLQGRI6F\WKLDQFRQVFLRXVQHVVZKLFK̐WWHGZHOOZLWKFODVVLFDO
Latin erudition. This is proved by the numerous charters of ennoblement which
FRQWDLQVRPHFRQFUHWHUHIHUHQFHVWRWKLVDQGZKLFKZHUHLVVXHGE\.LQJ-RKQ˭V
chancery.ᦲᦶ7KHKLJKO\OLWHUDWH.LQJ-RKQZKRFRXOGUHFLWH9LUJLOIURPPHPRU\
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reneszánsz udvari kultúra%XGDSHVWᦱᦹᦸᦷᦲᦰᦰ˩ᦲᦰᦱ

315
SZABOLCS VARGA

this with great satisfaction. It is no coincidence that the author of the diary
wrote that “the king, his majesty, is loved by young and old, who feel sorry
for his ill health”.ᦲᦷ Before he left for Buda, he “spoke in a friendly way to the
PDVVHVZKRKDGJDWKHUHGDURXQGKLPWRVHHKLPȐRQKLVMRXUQH\˱ᦲᦸ A similar
sentiment was expressed when the news of the birth of the heir apparent spread
LQ6]¢V]VHEHV 6HEHĠ ˰7KDWGD\WKHUHZDVJUHDWMR\LQWKHFLW\DQGLQWKHFDPS
because the people loved the humble king, our majesty.”ᦲᦹ At the same time King
-RKQVKRZHGDJUHDWGHDORIPHUF\ZKHQKHSDUGRQHGWKHUHEHOOLRXV6D[RQV
saying that “we cannot repudiate them, let them have mercy”.ᦳᦰ Like Matthias,
-RKQNQHZKLVSHRSOHYHU\ZHOO˰7KHVHPDVVHVZHUHWKHVDPHEHIRUHWKH\EHQG
with whatever wind blows; the Turks come one today, they kiss their caftans,
the Hungarians come the next day, they fawn over them; and they bless the
Germans, should they come the day after next; they only seek their own good,
and they would even deny their own homeland, if it proved necessary.”ᦳᦱ Had any
ZRUNFRQWDLQLQJWKHNLQJ˭VZRUGVRIZLVGRPEHHQFRPSLOHGWKLVTXRWHZRXOG
certainly have been included in it.
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RIDELDVHGLQWHOOHFWXDO˭VWKRXJKWV\HWKHZDVQRWDORQHLQKLVRSLQLRQRI.LQJ
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unconditionally, respected his person and used the following adjectives to describe
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.LQJ-RKQLQKLVSRHPIURPᦱᦵᦳᦸHQWLWOHG$]VLG´ªVDPDJ\DUQHP]HWUĒO(On the
-HZLVK DQG WKH +XQJDULDQ 1DWLRQV  DFFRUGLQJ WR KLV SURSKHFLHV WKH GLYLQH
retribution that had fallen on Hungary would only be lifted if the lords sided
with the “humble king”.ᦳᦳ
It is very interesting that the monarch, who remained Catholic throughout
his life, was characterized by the Protestant Gáspár Heltai in his novel entitled
$+¢O´ 7KH1HW ZULWWHQLQFRQQHFWLRQZLWKWKHUHOLJLRXVGHEDWHRIᦱᦵᦳᦸDV
WKH ˰JUHDW .LQJ -RKQ ˸ RI EOHVVHG PHPRU\˱ ZKR ZDV ˰KXPEOH DQG ZLWW\˱ᦳᦴ
$FFRUGLQJ WR WKH VWRU\ WKH NLQJ HYHQ HQFRXUDJHG WKH SUHDFKHUV DV IROORZV
˰+DYHQRIHDU,KDYHDOVRJRWLQWRP\PLQGWKDWWKHVFLHQFHRIPDVWHU6WHSKHQ
LVWUXHDQGWKDWWKHSDSDF\LVQRWKLQJ%XWWKHUHLVQRWKLQJ,FDQGRDJDLQVWWKH
ORUGV<HW,ZLOO̐QGDZD\˱ᦳᦵ,QOLJKWRIWKHDERYHWKHDGMHFWLYHVˬKXPEOH˭DQG
ˬJRGIHDULQJ˭XVHGWRFKDUDFWHUL]HWKHNLQJFDQQRWEHUHJDUGHGDVH[DPSOHVRI
epitheton ornans; we have to accept that this really was how these authors saw
the king.

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ᦳᦵ˘,ELGᦳᦲ

316
HOW THE SZAPOLYAI FAMILY WAS REMEMBERED FROM THE 16TH TO THE 20TH CENTURY

:H NQRZ WKDW DW WKH UHVSHFWLYH FRXUWV RI 7UDQV\OYDQLDQ SULQFH 6WHSKHQ
%¢WKRU\ ᦱᦵᦷᦱ˩ᦱᦵᦸᦶ DQGWKHNLQJRI3RODQG ᦱᦵᦷᦶ˩ᦱᦵᦸᦶ WKHUHZDVDFHUWDLQ
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Hungary after the Battle of Mohács.ᦳᦶ This thought was then taken up by the
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the most, in his poem entitled Ruinae Pannonicae.ᦳᦷ This trend was then further
reinforced by Gian Michele Brutus, whose aim was to prove the pro-Ottoman
character of the politics of the Szapolyais,ᦳᦸ and by his followers, namely
-RKDQQHV %RFDWLXV ZKR DOVR DFFHSWHG WKH DOOLDQFH ZLWK WKH 2WWRPDQVᦳᦹ and
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ZKR˰DOWKRXJK.LQJ-RKQGLGQRWGHVHUYHLWPDUNHGKLVQDPHZLWKWKHVWLJPDRI
evil sin”.ᦴᦰ7KHORQJOLVWRIᦱᦶWKFHQWXU\ZRUNVSUDLVLQJ-RKQFRXOGEHFRQWLQXHG
DQGUHVHDUFKPXVW̐QGZD\VWRGRH[DFWO\WKLVLQWKHQH[WFRXSOHRI\HDUVᦴᦱ<HW
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RI +XQJDULDQ KLVWRULFDO PHPRU\ :H FDQ DFFHSW WKH ZRUG RI /¢V]O´ 0DNNDL
who believed that “there can hardly be any doubt that it was not so much
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KLVDOOLDQFHZLWKWKH2WWRPDQVWKH*ULWWLD̏DLUHWF WKDWFDVWDGDUNVKDGRZ
on his memory in the public mind, but rather the occupation of Buda by the
2WWRPDQV LQ ᦱᦵᦴᦱ LQ ZKLFK KH GLG QRW DFWXDOO\ SOD\ D GLUHFW UROH EXW PDQ\
people believed he had paved the way for it to happen.”ᦴᦲ Of his varied career
path, posterity used what it pleased. This is why outstanding historian Emma
%DUWRQLHNXVHGWKHIROORZLQJIUDJPHQWVRIWKHYHU\VDPHWH[WVWRGHVFULEHKLP
“a coward and weak, but ruthless and bloody man, who was only afraid of
hurting powerful lords.”ᦴᦳ7KHUHDUHWKUHHUHDVRQVIRUWKLVGLVWRUWLRQ)LUVWWKH
FRXQWU\ RI WKH 6]DSRO\DLV DQG WKXV WKH IDPLO\˭V VSDFH RI PHPRU\ JUDGXDOO\
narrowed to the territory of the Principality of Transylvania. Second, by the
HQGRIWKHᦱᦶWKFHQWXU\DWWKHODWHVWWKHGDQJHUVRIWKH6]DSRO\DLV˭SUR2WWRPDQ

ᦳᦶ˘7DP¢V .UXSSD 7UDG®FL´ ªV SURSDJDQGD NHUHV]W»WM¢Q )HMH]HWHN %¢WKRU\ =VLJPRQG XGYDU¢QDN
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ᦳᦸ˘)HUHQF7ROG\ HG %UXWXV-¢QRV0LK¢O\PNLUW·UWªQHW®U´PDJ\DUKLVW´UL¢MD᤬᤯ᤴᤫ˨᤬ᤰᤰ᤭9ROV,˨,,,
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ᦱᦹᦷᦵᦹᦰ

317
SZABOLCS VARGA

politics had become clear to everybody, so recalling the circumstances of the


establishment of the principality seemed inappropriate, even within its borders.
An alliance with the Ottoman Empire was not consistent with any of the new
political-theological slogans of the turn of the century (Protestant concordance
DQG&KULVWLDQ8QLRQ ᦴᦴ7KLUGWKH+XQJDULDQKLVWRULRJUDSK\RIWKHᦱᦷWKFHQWXU\
was predominantly Catholic and Habsburg in spirit, with no room for rhetoric
glorifying the Szapolyais.
The most important historiographical work written in the Carpathian
EDVLQ LQ WKH HDUO\ PRGHUQ SHULRG LV XQGRXEWHGO\ 0LNO´V ,VWY¢Q̏\˭V ZRUN RQ
the history of the Hungarians, which had a fundamental impact on the view
of history in Hungary.ᦴᦵ The stories found in the work have almost come to
IRUPSDUWRI+XQJDULDQIRONORUHDQGLWLVWKDQNVWR,VWY¢Q̏\WKDWWKHSHULRG
RIWKHᦱᦶWKFHQWXU\VLHJHZDUVKDVEHFRPHDSHULRGRIXWPRVWLPSRUWDQFHLQ
Hungarian national memory.
%HLQJDFOHYHUKXPDQLVWWKLQNHU,VWY¢Q̏\V\VWHPDWLFDOO\FROOHFWHGYDULRXV
sources and complemented them with data and stories he knew from hearsay.
<HW WKH FKDUDFWHUL]DWLRQ KH SURYLGHG LQ FRQQHFWLRQ ZLWK WKH 6]DSRO\DLV ZDV
not sine ira et studio. In the absence of a critical publication, a comprehensive
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ZULWLQJDERXWWKHIDPLO\˭VULVH,VWY¢Q̏\UHOLHG̐UVWDQGIRUHPRVWRQ$QWRQLR
%RQ̐QL DQG LQLWLDOO\ H[SUHVVHG QHJDWLYH YLHZV RI SDODWLQH ,VWY¢Q EHFDXVH RI
his relationship with queen consort Beatrice. Later on in his work he gave an
DFFRXQW RI WKH SDODWLQH˭V ODVW \HDUV EXW ZLWKRXW DQ\ SDUWLFXODU DVVHVVPHQW RI
WKH SHULRG &RQFHUQLQJ -RKQ KH VWUHVVHG IURP WKH YHU\ EHJLQQLQJ KLV GHVLUH
to obtain the throne GRPLQDQGL OLELGR , and his wish to conceal this desire.
$FFRUGLQJ WR KLP -RKQ OLYHG XQGHU WKH VSHOO RI SRZHU DQG KLV VLQIXO SODQV
would eventually lead to the destruction of the country.ᦴᦶ<HWLQFRQQHFWLRQZLWK
WKHRFFXUUHQFHVRIᦱᦵᦱᦴZHDUHSUHVHQWHGZLWKWKHSLFWXUHRIDFDUHIXOYRLYRGH
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timely support to István Báthori, the ispán of Temes comes Temesiensis . Even
when describing the period of retaliations, it is his honesty rather than his
cruelty that is mentioned. All this remained without any consequences, however,
EHFDXVHVXFFHVVRQO\PDGH-RKQ˭VSHUVRQDOLW\HYHQZRUVH7DNLQJWKHH[WUHPH
JORUL̐FDWLRQKHUHFHLYHGIURPWKHPDVVHVDWIDFHYDOXHKHSODQQHGDSORWDJDLQVW
KLVNLQJLQKLVSXUVXLWRIJORU\KHDWWDFNHGWKHFDVWOHRI=VDUQ´ ľDUQRY+DYDOH 
LQᦱᦵᦱᦵEXWVX̏HUHGDPLVHUDEOHGHIHDWDWWKHKDQGVRIWKH2WWRPDQDUP\ᦴᦷ The
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ˬ6]HQFL 0ROQ¢U $OEHUW ˲,GHD &KULVWLDQRUXP˱D˭ LQ %ªOD 9DUMDV HG  ,URGDORP ªV LGHRO´JLD D
᤬ᤱ˨᤬ᤲV]¢]DGEDQ 0HPRULD6DHFXORUXP+XQJDULDHᦵ %XGDSHVWᦱᦹᦸᦷ ᦲᦳᦵ
ᦴᦵ˘,VWY¢Q̏\ +LVWRULDUXP GH UHEXV *¢ERU 1DJ\ ˬ6]DSRO\DL ,VWY¢Q ªV -¢QRV DODNMD ,VWKY¢Q̏\
+LVWRULDHM¢EDQ˭LQ-´]VHI%HVVHQ\HL=LWD+RUY¢WKDQG3ªWHU7´WK HGV Tanulmányok Szapolyai
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318
HOW THE SZAPOLYAI FAMILY WAS REMEMBERED FROM THE 16TH TO THE 20TH CENTURY

all his actions. Interestingly, in connection with the military preparations in


ᦱᦵᦲᦶ6]DSRO\DLLVRQFHDJDLQGHSLFWHGLQDIDYRXUDEOHOLJKWKHLVGHVFULEHGDVD
man who does everything in his power to defend the province. It appears that at
WKLVSRLQW,VWY¢Q̏\WDNHV%URGDULFV˭VVLGHLQUHFRXQWLQJHYHQWVKHGRHVQRWHYHQ
PHQWLRQ WKH XVXDO DOOHJDWLRQV UHJDUGLQJ -RKQ˭V EHWUD\DO DQG KLV LQWHQWLRQDOO\
EHLQJ ODWH IRU WKH EDWWOH <HW WKH GHIHDW FKDQJHG HYHU\WKLQJ DV LPPHGLDWHO\
upon the death of King Louis he set out to obtain the throne. The portrayal of
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OLIWHG WR FRXQWHUEDODQFH WKH ̐JXUH RI -RKQ ,QVWHDG -RKQ˭V VXSSRUWHUV .ULVW´I
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is put as an example to follow. Regarding the alliance with the Ottoman sultan,
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An extremely negative assessment of the family is given in connection with
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XQDEOH WR UXOH DQG ZDV XQZRUWK\ RI WKH WKURQH ZDV TXHHQ FRQVRUW ,VDEHOOD˭V
inappropriate way of educating her child.ᦴᦸ These adjectives and phrases will, as
we shall see later, reappear in characterisations from subsequent periods.
Before moving on to the next century, a mention has to be made of another
SLHFHZULWWHQLQWKHᦱᦷWKFHQWXU\EXWZKLFKGLGQRWKDYHDPDMRULPSDFWRQ
WKH LPDJH RI WKH 6]DSRO\DLV XQWLO LWV SXEOLFDWLRQ LQ ᦱᦷᦸᦲ LQ WKH ᦱᦶᦷᦰV )DUNDV
%HWKOHQZURWHDKLVWRU\RI7UDQV\OYDQLDIURPᦱᦵᦲᦶWRᦱᦶᦰᦹ%HWKOHQGUHZXSRQ
a massive source base, presenting the events from the point of view of the
6]DSRO\DLVDQGDWWULEXWLQJPDQ\VWDWHPHQWVWR-RKQᦴᦹ$FFRUGLQJWRKLP-RKQ
Szapolyai never wanted to obtain royal power, and, since he abhorred marriage
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accused of breaching the Treaty of Várad.ᦵᦰ,QWKHSDUWWKDWGHVFULEHVWKHNLQJ˭V
death, he portrays the king in an especially beautiful way. By quoting Brutus, he
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ZLWKKLVYLUWXHDQGFKDUDFWHU)URPD\RXQJDJHKHZDVSUXGHQWDQGGLVSOD\HG
the spiritual grandeur necessary to help him live through weal and woe.ᦵᦱ Then,
IROORZLQJ$PEUXV6RPRJ\LZKRZRUNHGLQWKHHDUO\ᦱᦷWKFHQWXU\KHFRQWLQXHG
-RKQZDVFDOPJHQWLOHDQGIDLUDQGODFNHGWKHYHKHPHQFHVRFKDUDFWHULVWLFRI
the Hungarians. He was characterized by a desire for knowledge and sound
prudence; he was careful and vigilant, and in private he was learned and humane.

ᦴᦸ˘,ELGᦲᦱᦲ
ᦴᦹ˘:RȌJDQJLGH%HWKOHQ+LVWRULDGHUHEXV7UDQVV\OYDQLFLV9ROV,˨,,&LELQLLᦱᦷᦸᦲ
ᦵᦰ˘5HJQXPTXRGVLELGHIHUUHQWVHTXLGHPQXQTXDPFRQFXSLYLVVH Bethlen, +LVWRULD,ᦴᦴ$EKRUUHUHWD
QXSWLLV SUHFLEXV WDPHQ 3URFHUXP 3DQQRQLDH FRHOLEDWXP DEUXPSHUH VXDGHQWLXP DG LQHXQGXP
FRQMXJLXPXUJHEDWXU˸,ELGᦲᦷᦴ
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RPQLQRELOLWDWHFODULRUHQLPLQLOOR-RDQQLVDSULPLVDGROHVFHQWLDHDQQLVLQGROHVHQLWXLWXWHW5HJLV
LQUHFWHVHQWLHQGRSUXGHQWLDHWLQIDFLHQGRDQLPLFHOVLWXGRVHPSHUSHUOX[HULWDGHRXWWDPLQVHFXQGLV
TXDPLQDGYHUVLVUHEXVVHPSHUSUDHVHQWLIRUWXQDPDMRUIXHULWKDELWXVVHPSHUTXHSDUDWXVWDPDGYHUVH
IRUWXQDHJUDVVDQWLVLQVHFDIXVH[FLSHUHTXDPVHFXQG§IDOODFLDJDXGLDFRQWHPQHUH.

319
SZABOLCS VARGA

He kept saying that friends obtained through good deeds were his most precious
treasure. This description reveals the image of a peaceful, well-educated and
JRRGZLOOHGPRQDUFK7KDW%HWKOHQEULH̑\TXRWHV,VWY¢Q̏\DFFRUGLQJWRZKRP
-RKQ ZDV D JHQWOH JHQHURXV PDQ ZKR GHPRQVWUDWHG D KLJK OHYHO RI LQWHJULW\
throughout his life and whose biggest sin was that he wished to reach his goals
with Ottoman support, does little to damage this image.ᦵᦲ ,Q %HWKOHQ˭V ZRUN
-RKQDSSHDUVDVDWUDJLFKHURZKREHFDXVHKHZDVERUQXQGHUDQXQOXFN\VWDU
was not able to show his real skills. According to Bethlen, the person was not
evil, only the age in which he lived. He expressed this by putting these words
LQ.LQJ-RKQ˭VPRXWK˰1RWDVLQJOHGD\ZDVFHUWDLQLQP\OLIHWKHHQGRIRQH
misfortune was only the beginning of the other.”ᦵᦳ Giving it more thought, this
LVOLNHO\WRKDYHEHHQWKHUHDOPRWWRRIWKH6]DSRO\DLV˭UXOH<HW%HWKOHQ˭VZRUN
is a testimony to the fact that the cult of the Szapolyai dynasty still existed in
7UDQV\OYDQLDLQWKHᦱᦷWKFHQWXU\

THE 18TH CENTURY


,IWKHVRFDOOHGˬ6]DSRO\DLWUDGLWLRQ˭HYHUH[LVWHGLQ+XQJDULDQKLVWRULRJUDSK\
RQO\VRPHVSRUDGLFGDWDRQLWKDVFRPHGRZQWRXVIURPWKHᦱᦸWKFHQWXU\ᦵᦴ The
independence of the Principality of Transylvania, handed down by the Szapolyai
IDPLO\ HQGHG LQ ᦱᦶᦹᦰ DQG WKH WHUULWRU\ FDPH XQGHU +DEVEXUJ UXOH :HOO
educated Catholic historiographers usually avoided the prehistory of the
territory, especially the ecclesiastical circumstances there.ᦵᦵ Nevertheless, it is
perhaps not hopeless to try to draw some cautious conclusions.
I have chosen, somewhat arbitrarily, to deal with the works of three writers
LQ JUHDWHU GHWDLO 7KH ̐UVW LQ D FKURQRORJLFDO RUGHU LV 6¢PXHO 7LPRQ ZKR
DV D -HVXLW PRQN FRQGXFWHG VHULRXV VFKRODUVKLS LQ WKH HDUO\ GHFDGHV RI WKH
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work (SLWRPH FKURQRORJLFD UHUXP +XQJDULFDUXP ZKLFK DSSHDUHG LQ ᦱᦷᦳᦶ DQG
GHDOWZLWKWKHHYHQWVRIWKH.LQJGRPRI+XQJDU\XQWLOᦱᦵᦷᦶFDQEHUHJDUGHG

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PD[LPHSURSHQVRDEHUDWHQLPDELOORLQQDWDLOOD+XQJDULVIHURFLDPLOLWDULVFXPOLWWHUDUXPVWXGLRHW
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SURQRPRULEXVDXWHPLQFXOSDWLVSUDHWHUTXDPTXRGSDWURFLQLR7XUFDUXPUHVVXDVSURPRWXPLYHULW.
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ᦵᦴ˘)RUPRUHUHFHQWFRYHUDJHRIWKHFHQWXU\˭VKLVWRULRJUDSK\LQWKHVFKRODUO\OLWHUDWXUHVHH,VWY¢Q
6R´V ˬ)HO]¢UN´]¢V YDJ\ OHPDUDG¢V" 7·UWªQHW®U¢V D ᦱᦸ V]¢]DGL 0DJ\DURUV]¢JRQ˭ LQ *HUJHO\
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*HUJHO\7´WKIRUWKHLUDGYLFHRQWKHZULWLQJRIWKLVFKDSWHU
ᦵᦵ˘2QWKHVHOIFHQVRUVKLSRI-HVXLWVDQGDIWHUᦱᦷᦷᦳIRUPHU-HVXLWVVHH*HUJHO\7´WKˬ([MH]VXLW¢N
—QNªS·QUHSUH]HQW¢FL´ªVDUHQGᦱᦷᦷᦳªYLPHJV]½QWHWªVªQHNHPOªNH3DOPD.¢URO\)HUHQF
3UD\*\·UJ\ªV.DWRQD,VWY¢QW·UWªQHWLPXQN¢LEDQ˭LQ$QGU¢V)RUJ´DQG=ROW¢Q*Ē]V\ HGV 
.DWROLNXVHJ\K¢]LW¢UVDGDORP0DJ\DURUV]¢JRQD᤬ᤳV]¢]DGEDQ 3ªFVL(J\K¢]W·UWªQHWL0IJKHO\ᦱᦱ 
3ªFVᦲᦰᦱᦹᦴᦱᦱ˩ᦴᦲᦷ

320
HOW THE SZAPOLYAI FAMILY WAS REMEMBERED FROM THE 16TH TO THE 20TH CENTURY

as the culmination of his oeuvre.ᦵᦶ His family originated from Moravia, but
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light of the day on a territory that had once belonged to the Szapolyai family.
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in medias resLQFRQQHFWLRQZLWKWKHHYHQWVLQ%RVQLDLQᦱᦴᦶᦴZKLOH,VWY¢QLV
LQWURGXFHGIROORZLQJ%RQ̐QLLQUHODWLRQWRWKHPLOLWDU\HYHQWVRIᦱᦴᦷᦴ:KHQ
UHFRUGLQJWKHHYHQWVRIᦱᦴᦸᦷKHZURWHDERXW,PUH6]DSRO\DL˭VGHDWKWKHSODFH
of his burial and also the inscription on his tomb; the last of these he had seen
with his own eyes.ᦵᦷ 7KH -HVXLW VFLHQWLVW ZDV LQWHUHVWHG LQ HSLJUDSK\ ZKLFK
may be the reason why, after praising the deceased István Szapolyai, he also
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+H PHQWLRQV -RKQ LQ ᦱᦵᦲᦶ DV D ZHDOWK\ DQG LQ̑XHQWLDO QREOH YLU RSLEXV DF
clientilis potens , and explains the events of the royal election on the basis of
3ªWHU5ªYD\˭VERRNDe MonarchiaSXEOLVKHGLQᦱᦶᦵᦹᦵᦹ Apart from this he also
TXRWHV IURP ZRUNV E\ 0LNO´V ,VWY¢Q̏\ 0LNO´V 2O¢K -¢QRV =V¢PERN\ DQG
*HUJHO\3HWWKĒ$FFRUGLQJWRKLPWKHUHDVRQIRU6]DSRO\DL˭VDOOLDQFHZLWKWKH
VXOWDQZDVVLPSO\WKDW-RKQZDVGXULQJKLVH[LOHLQ3RODQGXQDEOHWRJLYHXS
his desire to become king,ᦶᦰDQGKDGIRXQGDVXLWDEOHSHUVRQ+LHURQ\PĂDVNL
to represent his interests at the Porte. He recounts the events of the next couple
of years without any accusations, in a well-balanced manner, and, as for the
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with both great powers, had the walls of Buda built, walls that continued to
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SRUWUD\DOUHDFKHVLWVFXOPLQDWLRQ\HWWKHFOLPD[FRPHVZKHQ-RKQ,,˭VGHDWKLQ
ᦱᦵᦷᦱLVPHQWLRQHGEHFDXVHZLWKWKLVWKHIDPLO\NQRZQVLQFHWKHWLPHVRI.LQJ
6LJLVPXQG DQG IDYRXUHG E\ WKH +XQ\DGLV GLHG RXW 6RPH UHJDUGHG -RKQ DV
GLOLJHQWZKLOHRWKHUVVDLGKHZDVOD]\<HWHYHU\ERG\DJUHHGWKDWQRRQHLVDEOH
WRDFWDFFRUGLQJWRWKHLUNQRZOHGJHLIVXUURXQGHGE\̐OWKDQGGLUWᦶᦲ:LWKWKLV
assessment Timon exonerated the Szapolyais, instead blaming the epoch for all
the misery that occurred during their reign.
7KHPRVWLQ̑XHQWLDO+XQJDULDQKLVWRULDQRIWKHᦱᦸWKFHQWXU\ZDVXQGRXEWHGO\
Matthias Bél, who in many aspects set the standard for upcoming generations.
Bél wished to create a geographical and historical description of the country on

ᦵᦶ˘6DPXHO7LPRQ(SLWRPHFKURQRORJLFDUHUXP+XQJDULFDUXPHW7UDQVLOYDQLFDUXPDQDWLYLWDWHGLYL
Stephani primi regis apostolici, producta ad Annum MDCCXXXVI&ODXGLRSROLᦱᦷᦶᦴᦲ.
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ᦵᦹ˘7LPRQ Epitome chronologica ᦱᦱᦹ˩ᦱᦲᦰ *HUJHO\ 7´WK ˬ/XWKHU¢QXV RUV]¢JW·UWªQHW »MV]WRLNXV
NHUHWEHQ5ªYD\3ªWHU0RQDUFKL¢MD˭LQ,GHP HG Clio inter armaᦱᦲᦸ˩ᦱᦲᦹ
ᦶᦰ˘1RQ SRWXLW WDPHQ -RDQQHV FXSLGLWDWL IXDV LPSHUDUH TXLQ PDJLV PDJLVTXH DG UHJQXP DVSLUDUHW.
Timon, Epitome chronologicaᦱᦲᦳ
ᦶᦱ˘-RDQQHV5H[UHFRQFLOLDWRVLEL6RO\PDQRHWSDFHDOLTXDFXP'RPR$XIWULDF¢IDFWD%XGHQVHFDVWUXP
PXQLHEDW5HOLTXLWTXHPHPRULDPVXLLQPXULVTXRUXPDOLTXLKRGLHVXSHUVXQW.” ,ELGᦱᦴᦵ
ᦶᦲ˘$OLL-RDQQHPKHEHWLVLQJHQLLDOLLDFULVIXLVVHDMXQWVHGLQJDQHLVHWVRUGLEXVHGXFDWXPQLKLOVXR
gradu dignum egisse, consentiunt.” ,ELGᦲᦳᦳ

321
SZABOLCS VARGA

the basis of the methods of German theories of the state.ᦶᦳ He had a primary
interest in geography, but, as an outstanding scholar, he was in fact interested in
everything. The story he told of how Szapolyai received the castle of Trencsén
for his bravery demonstrated in the Bohemian war was essentially based on
%RQ̐QL˭VDFFRXQWᦶᦴ:KHQGHVFULELQJWKHHYHQWVDIWHUWKH%DWWOHRI0RK¢FVKH
FKRVHQRWWRHQWHULQWRDGHHSDQDO\VLVRI-RKQ˭VNLQJVKLS\HWRQWKHEDVLVRIWKH
ZRUN RI ,VWY¢Q̏\ KH JDYH D GHWDLOHG DFFRXQW RI WKH VLHJH DQG RFFXSDWLRQ RI
7UHQFVªQE\)HUGLQDQG˭VWURRSVᦶᦵ
6LPLODUGDWDFDQEHIRXQGDOVRLQ0DWWKLDV%ªO˭VPDQXVFULSWZULWWHQDERXW
WKHFRXQW\RI6¢URVDQGSXEOLVKHG̐UVWDFRXSOHRI\HDUVHDUOLHUᦶᦶ He noted that
VLQFH 6¢URV ZDV 3ªWHU 3HUªQ\L˭V HVWDWH DIWHU KH VZLWFKHG VLGHV LW FDPH XQGHU
-RKQ6]DSRO\DL˭VMXULVGLFWLRQDQGLWZDVRQO\DIWHUDORQJVLHJHWKDW/HRQKDUG
YRQ9HOVZDVDEOHWRUHWDNHLWIRU.LQJ)HUGLQDQGᦶᦷ The entry on the castle of
0XQN¢FV 0XNDFKHYR UHYHDOVWKDWLQRQHSDUWRIWKHXSSHUFDVWOHZKHUHWKH
DSDUWPHQWV RI WKH JDUULVRQ R̒FHUV DQG SULHVWV ZHUH ORFDWHG WKH URRPV ZHUH
GHFRUDWHGZLWKSDLQWLQJVRIWKH5¢N´F]L6]DSRO\DLDQG=U®Q\LIDPLOLHVZKLFK
may be somewhat surprising.ᦶᦸ Knowing the history of the castle, it is not so
VWULNLQJWKDWWKH=U®Q\LDQG5¢N´F]LIDPLOLHVDUHPHQWLRQHG,WLVKRZHYHUOHVV
NQRZQWKDWWKHFDVWOHZDVRFFXSLHGE\.LQJ-RKQIRUDEULHISHULRGLQᦱᦵᦲᦸ$IWHU
a series of changes in ownership, it came into the possession of Péter Petrovics
LQᦱᦵᦵᦱDQGZDVWKHQLQKHULWHGIURPKLPE\-RKQ,,ᦶᦹ Looking at it from the
perspective of the remembrance of the Szapolyais, that visitors were able to see a
FRPSRVLWLRQRIWKH=U®Q\L5¢N´F]LDQG6]DSRO\DLIDPLOLHVDWWKHVDPHWLPHDQG
at the same place must have been interesting. All this means that some form of
UHJLRQDOFXOWRIWKH6]DSRO\DLIDPLO\GLGH[LVWDWWKHHQGRIWKHᦱᦸWKFHQWXU\
,QWKHODWHᦱᦸWKFHQWXU\LWZDVPRVWO\.¢URO\:DJQHUZKRFRQGXFWHGUHVHDUFK
LQWRWKH6]DSRO\DLIDPLO\:DJQHUZDVYHU\PXFKLQ̑XHQFHGE\0DWWKLDV%ªO˭V
collection on Szepes county, +LVWRULD FRPLWDWXV 6FHSXVLHQVLV, which provided a

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3¢O)RGRUDQG3¢O‚FV HGV ,GHQWLW\DQG&XOWXUHLQ2WWRPDQ+XQJDU\(Studien zur Sprache,
*HVFKLFKWHXQG.XOWXUGHU7½UNY·ONHUᦲᦴ %HUOLQᦲᦰᦱᦷᦳᦶᦷ˩ᦳᦶᦹ
ᦶᦴ˘0DWWKLDV %HO 1RWLWLD +XQJDULDH QRYDH KLVWRULFR JHRJUDSKLFD˷ &RPLWDWXXP LQHGLWRUXP WRPXV
SULPXV LQ TXR FRQWLQHQWXU˷ &RPLWDWXV $UYHQVLV HW 7UHQWVLQLHQVLV (G E\ *HUJHO\ 7´WK LQ
FROODERUDWLRQZLWK/¢V]O´*O½FNDQG=ROW¢Q*Ē]V\%XGDSHVWᦲᦰᦱᦱᦲᦷᦱ˩ᦲᦷᦷ
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D̎DEUHSLFWLVVXSHUELW. ,ELGᦳᦲᦹ7KHWH[WGDWHVEDFNRQO\WRWKHHDUO\ᦱᦹWKFHQWXU\DWWKHHDUOLHVW
so must be a later insertion.
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XGYDUE®U¢L ªV HOOHQĒUHL UªV]ªUH 9RO ,, )RQV .·Q\YHN ᦲ  (GLWHG DQG LQWURGXFWRU\ HVVD\ E\
,VWY¢Q.HQ\HUHV%XGDSHVWᦲᦰᦰᦲᦴᦵᦱ˩ᦴᦵᦲ

322
HOW THE SZAPOLYAI FAMILY WAS REMEMBERED FROM THE 16TH TO THE 20TH CENTURY

very detailed description of the area,ᦷᦰ EXW ZKLOH %ªO˭V LQWHUHVW LQ JHRJUDSK\
GH̐QHGKLVYLHZRIKLVWRU\:DJQHUZDVLQWHUHVWHGLQKLVWRU\RQO\,QDUFKLYDO
VRXUFHV:DJQHUZDVORRNLQJIRUSDVWHYHQWVDQGSODFHGWKHLQGLYLGXDODWWKH
centre in his work on the Szepesség region, as well.ᦷᦱ In his writings he placed
special emphasis on the genealogy of certain families; for this reason, his work
was very popular in the upcoming decades. Iván Nagy methodically used his
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his writings on the history of Szepes county.ᦷᦳ Alongside the history of the
7KXU]´7K·N·O\DQG9DUNRFVIDPLOLHVWKHIRXUWKYROXPHRI:DJQHU˭VZRUNDOVR
contains the history of the Szapolyai family, which has become the most famous
collection of information on the family.ᦷᦴ
:DJQHU PHQWLRQHG WKH IDPLO\˭V RULJLQ LQ 3R]VHJD FRXQW\ RQ WKH EDVLV RI
FKDUWHUV DQG RI QRWHV IURP +DQV 'HUQVFKZDPᦷᦵ The latter wrote about the
Szapolyais in a rather hostile manner, and this hostility also found its way
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pro-Ottoman attitude of the family.ᦷᦶ :KHQ SUHVHQWLQJ ,PUH 6]DSRO\DL KH
PHQWLRQHGWKDWKHIRXQGHGD3DXOLQHPRQDVWHU\LQWKHFLW\RI7RNDMLQᦱᦴᦷᦶᦷᦷ
:KHQ JLYLQJ DQ DFFRXQW RI KLV GHDWK KH SXEOLVKHG WKH HQWLUH OHWWHU ZULWWHQ
E\ WKH IDPLO\˭V VHUYLWRU 3¢O ,VªS WR WKH FLW\ RI %¢UWIDᦷᦸ As regards István, he
emphasized his generosity and his military experience,ᦷᦹ only a few lines later
to accuse him of poisoning Matthias when he was captain of Vienna.ᦸᦰ He then
FRQWLQXHGWKHOLVWRI,VWY¢Q˭VVLQVKHVWROHDODUJHSDUWRI0DWWKLDV˭VWUHDVXU\
DQGVRPHRIWKHGLVKHVZLWKWKHUDYHQLQVLJQLDFRXOGEHIRXQGLQ.LQJ-RKQ˭V
possession as much as four decades later. To this he added that as all accusations
FDPHIURP+DQV'HUQVFKZDPZKRLQVHYHUDOLQVWDQFHVZURWHQHJDWLYHO\DERXW
the Szapolyai family, he could not imagine that palatine István would treat his
royal benefactor in such a way. It was more likely, wrote the historian, that
these objects, marked with the coat of arms of the royal family, came into the

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footnotes that according to other historians the murder was carried out by István Báthori.

323
SZABOLCS VARGA

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Vienna, reasoning that he had done so for the good of the country,ᦸᦱ and it was for
the same reason that he had actively supported the election of Vladislaus as king.
Having presented István, he turned to some of the female members of the
IDPLO\DQGWKHQWR-RKQ˭VOLIH$WWKHYHU\RXWVHWKHUHPDUNHGWKDWWKHUHZDV
XQFHUWDLQW\FRQFHUQLQJKLVGDWHRIELUWKDFFRUGLQJWR3DXO(EHUKHZDVERUQ
RQᦲᦹ0DUFKᦱᦴᦹᦰZKHUHDV)DUNDV%HWKOHQVWDWHGWKDWKHGLHGLQᦱᦵᦴᦰDWWKH
DJHRIᦵᦳᦸᦲ2QWKHEDVLVRIWKHZRUNVRI,VWY¢Q̏\DQG3ªWHU5ªYD\LWZDVWKLV
ODWWHU YLHZ WKDW JDLQHG JURXQG LQ VFKRODUO\ OLWHUDWXUH GHVSLWH (EHU˭V RSLQLRQ
EHLQJWKHPRUHSUREDEOH5HJDUGLQJWKHSODFHRI-RKQ˭VELUWK:DJQHUFRUUHFWHG
%ªO ZKR EHOLHYHG -RKQ ZDV ERUQ LQ 7UHQFVªQᦸᦳ and published the anecdote
DFFRUGLQJWRZKLFK,VWY¢QWROGKLVVRQ˰LIRQO\\RXZHUHROGHU,ZRXOGPDNH
\RX NLQJ˱ᦸᦴ 7KH VWRU\ LV DWWULEXWHG WR WKH 3ROLVK KXPDQLVW -DQ ĂDVNL DQG LV
PHDQWWRGHPRQVWUDWHWKHIDPLO\˭VDPELWLRQV)RUWKHODWHU\HDUVRI-RKQ˭VOLIH
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the process by which the royal throne was obtained. Since the German humanist
and trader clearly had a hostile attitude towards the Szapolyais, there is no
TXHVWLRQWKDW:DJQHU˭VFKRLFHRIVRXUFHKDGDJUHDWLPSDFWRQKLVDVVHVVPHQWRI
the family. His wording on the period after the Battle of Mohács is surprisingly
EULHI%\UHO\LQJRQDUFKLYDOVRXUFHVKHSURYHGWKDW-RKQZDVQRWFURZQHGE\
Pál Várday, archbishop of Esztergom, but rather by István Podmaniczky, bishop
RI1\LWUD 1LWUD +HDYRLGHGDQ\UHIHUHQFHWR-RKQ˭VDOOLDQFHZLWKWKH2WWRPDQV
DQGLQVWHDGEULH̑\PHQWLRQHGWKH7UHDW\RI9¢UDGDQGVXEVHTXHQWO\-RKQ˭VGHDWK
DQGUHEXULDOLQᦱᦵᦴᦳ$VIRU,VDEHOODKHVWDWHGWKDWWKHFKDUDFWHUL]DWLRQVWKDWFDQ
EHUHDGRIKHULQYDULRXVZRUNVGL̏HUJUHDWO\7KHQ̐QDOO\RQWKHEDVLVRIWKH
ZRUNVRI,VWY¢Q̏\DQG)RUJ¢FKKHJDYHDVKRUWVXPPDU\RQ-RKQ6LJLVPXQG
but distorted his physical appearance, describing him as a person with thin
calves, a thin, reddish beard, and a sad face. True, on the last page of the family
KLVWRU\WKHHXORJ\ZULWWHQRI-RKQ,,E\*LDQ0LFKHOH%UXWXVHDVHVWKHWRQH
VRWKHUHDGHUFDQLQIDFWDOVR̐QGVRPHWKLQJSRVLWLYHDERXWWKHODVW6]DSRO\DLᦸᦵ
This short overview does not cover all aspects of the subject; many other
writers and works could be included in more comprehensive research. The
aim of this study has only been to present the way the Szapolyai family was
remembered during the birth of Hungarian academic historiography. As we
have seen, of all the existing historical texts, those written by pro-Habsburg
ZULWHUVHVSHFLDOO\E\,VWY¢Q̏\ZHUHPRUHFRPPRQO\XVHG'HVSLWHWKLVDEURDG
palette of voices had been passed down to the next generation of writers.

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essay in the present volume.
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324
HOW THE SZAPOLYAI FAMILY WAS REMEMBERED FROM THE 16TH TO THE 20TH CENTURY

THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES

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building a nation. The language of the texts also changed, with these new works
mostly published in Hungarian. Historians and literary authors were more and
more intensely attracted to the subject of the Battle of Mohács, with the opinion
strengthening that it was the fatal turning point for the powerful Kingdom of
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disintegration.ᦸᦶ Inevitably, the tone of scholarly and literary works written
DERXWWKH6]DSRO\DLIDPLO\PHPEHUV̐UVWRIDOO.LQJ-RKQDVSURWDJRQLVWVRI
this age, likewise grew more and more sombre.
The change in outlook is well illustrated by A Magyarokhoz (To the
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WR WKH EORRG\ VWRUP FORXGV RI ZDU RI WKH ᦱᦶWK DQG ᦱᦷWK FHQWXULHV 7KH SRHW
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blood-feuds in retribution.”ᦸᦷ More straightforward is the opinion of the age in
DSRHPE\DQRWKHUHDUO\ᦱᦹWKFHQWXU\SRHW6¢QGRU.LVIDOXG\HQWLWOHGSomló, in
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=¢SRO\D˩QRW+XQ\DGL˩KDVKLVH\HRQWKHWKURQH˩IURPEHKLQG˱ᦸᦸ
.¢URO\.LVIDOXG\˭VSRHPMohács is a milestone in this process, even though
contemporaries were unaware of it.ᦸᦹ Its motifs were not brand new, since
domestic strife had already been blamed for the defeat at Mohács in earlier
works, for example in the epic poem Magyar gyász +XQJDULDQ*ULHI E\0¢UWRQ

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V]½OHWªVH $ PDJ\DURUV]¢JL N·OWªV]HW W¢UVDGDORPW·UWªQHWH D ᤬ᤴ V]¢]DG HOVĒ ªYWL]HGHLEHQ. Budapest,
ᦲᦰᦱᦷᦴᦱᦱᦴᦲᦵ
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– hátul áll. Sándor Kisfaludy, SomlóVWDQ]Dᦴᦱ
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325
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(WªGL6´VᦹᦰEXW.LVIDOXG\˭VOLQH˰1R1RWWKHHQHP\KHURZQVRQLQ̑LFWHGKHU
wound (Nem!1HPD]HOOHQVªJ·Q̏DY¢JWDVHEªW ˱HSLWRPL]HGJHQHUDORSLQLRQ
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since it was during their reign that Buda got lost and the Hungarian Kingdom
IHOO LQWR SLHFHV :KDW LV PRUH WKH OLEHUDO ᦱᦹWKFHQWXU\ +XQJDULDQ QRELOLW\
championing the cause of the liberation of serfs created a positive memory of the
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brutally executed, was mentioned with contempt as one who had put individual
interest ahead of the interest of the nation and depraved his homeland with his
megalomania.ᦹᦱ
Neither did it contribute to a more favourable image of the Szapolyais
that, alongside the Hungarian élite advocating national independence, those
who were appreciative of the rule of the Habsburgs in Hungary also had an
equally negative opinion of the family. After all, if the golden age was brought
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of the Szapolyais. The Hungarian intellectuals in exile thought that, rather than
bringing tranquillity, the Austrian dynasty further deepened the crisis brought
E\0DWWKLDV˭VGHDWKᦹᦳ The authors of major syntheses along this line of thought,
/¢V]O´6]DOD\ᦹᦴ and Mihály Horváth, opined that it was not the domestic strife
that caused the fall of the country, but conversely historical necessity that brought
about the crowning of two kings. In their judgment, both the Ottomans and the
Habsburgs were enemies, so they did not condemn the Szapolyais for trying to
seek a solution out of this unfortunate situation with the sultan.ᦹᦵ Of course,
WKHKLVWRULDQVZHUHDZDUHWKDWLQWKHJLYHQSHULRG.LQJ-RKQFRXOGQRWIHDWXUH
DV D SRVLWLYH ̐JXUH RSSRVHG WR )HUGLQDQG RI +DEVEXUJ 7KLV PDGH WKHP SODFH

ᦹᦰ˘0¢UWRQ (WªGL 6´V 0DJ\DU J\¢V] YDJ\LV 0¢VRGLN /DMRV 0DJ\DU .LU¢O\QDN D 0RK¢WVL PH]ĒQ
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ᦹᦵ˘,ELGᦷᦷ

326
HOW THE SZAPOLYAI FAMILY WAS REMEMBERED FROM THE 16TH TO THE 20TH CENTURY

WKHHPSKDVLVRQWKHZLIHDQGPRWKHUZLWKDWUDJLFIDWH,VDEHOOD-DJLHOORQᦹᦶ and
GLVFRYHUQHZQDWLRQDOKHURHV)ULDU*HRUJH 0DUWLQX]]L DQGWKHHUXGLWHKXPDQLVW
aristocrat Tamás Nádasdy.ᦹᦷ7KXVNHHSLQJDGLVWDQFHIURP.LQJ-RKQUHPDLQHG
unchanged during the dualist Monarchy, which also explains why his biography
was written not by a scholarly historian but by a lawyer from Kolozsvár, Mihály
.ĒY¢U\LQ9DV¢UQDSL›MV¢JLQᦱᦸᦶᦱᦹᦸ this is his only biography to this day.
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century, the assessment of the Szapolyais changed little. In vain did the
intellectuals of the Reform Era turn with interest to Transylvania, the family who
founded the independent principality did not receive a more positive evaluation
in historiography or literature. The burgeoning cult of the defeat at Mohács and
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WKHPSHUKDSV,VDEHOODIDLUHGEHVWLQKHUWKHVRFLHW\RIUHYLOHGDQGZLGRZHG
Hungarian noblewomen found its archetype. It is no accident that thanks to
Endre Veress her biography was completed at the turn of the century.ᦹᦹ-RKQ
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in Budapest, but eventually he was not found worthy and was replaced by the
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$IWHUWKH7UHDW\RI7ULDQRQLQᦱᦹᦲᦰWKHSROLWLFVRIPHPRU\SDLQWHGDQHYHQ
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It was self-evident to compare Mohács to Trianon, and all historical syntheses
and political analyses pinpointed the primary source of the recent catastrophe
LQWKHDJHRIWKH-DJLHOORQVDQG6]DSRO\DLVᦱᦰᦱ They held that it was factionalism,
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time, a nostalgia for Transylvania emerged, closely connected to the cult of
Matthias Corvinus in Kolozsvár and to the romanticization of the period of the
Hunyadis.ᦱᦰᦲ However, the Szapolyais were again the losers in the reinterpretation
of the tropes of the Hungarian national character.
There is no room to list all the literature on this theme, but whether we
WDNHWKHFHOHEUDWHGIHPDOHDXWKRU,UªQ*XO¢FV\˭VQRYHO)HNHWHYĒOHJªQ\HN (Black

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ledett magyar királyi dinasztia: A Szapolyaiak%XGDSHVWᦲᦰᦲᦰᦳᦵᦸ˩ᦳᦵᦹ
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György3HVWᦱᦸᦷᦱ
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ᦳᦵᦰ˩ᦳᦵᦲᦳᦶᦳ˩ᦳᦶᦵ
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ᦱᦰᦰ˘KWWSVLQWH]HWQRULJRYKXQHP]HWLHPOHNKHO\HN%XGDSHVWKRVRNWHUH DFFHVVGDWHᦱᦵᦰᦸᦲᦰᦲᦰ 
ᦱᦰᦱ˘*¢ERU.RY¢FVDQG%ªOD0HVWHUˬ0RK¢FVV]HUHSHDPRGHUQPDJ\DUSROLWLNDLHV]PHW·UWªQHWEHQ˭
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ᦱᦰᦲ˘6HHWKHFKDSWHURQDFRPSDULVRQZLWKWKH+XQ\DGLV

327
SZABOLCS VARGA

%ULGHJURRPV ᦱᦰᦳRU*\XOD.U»G\˭VWULORJ\RIQRYHOVDERXWᦱᦵᦲᦶZH̐QGDFRUUXSW
ORQHO\.LQJ-RKQLOOVXLWHGWRUXOHDFRXQWU\ᦱᦰᦴ
*\XOD 6]HNIIJ ZURWH LQ D VLPLODU YHLQ DERXW WKH 6]DSRO\DLV LQ WKH PDMRU
historical synthesis of the age. The historian, who sympathized with the
+DEVEXUJVFODLPHGWKDW˰-¢QRV=¢SRO\DZDVWKHKHURRILOOXVLRQVWRVVHGDERXW
by surges of moods. He was not responsible for the disaster of Mohács; his
ULYDO)HUGLQDQGRI$XVWULDEURXJKWWKDWFKDUJHDJDLQVWKLPZLWKRXWMXVWL̐FDWLRQ
before his contemporaries and for centuries of history to come. Remorse did not
ZHLJKRQKLVPLQG.LQJ/RXLV˭VGHDWKZDVQRWKLVIDXOWDQGKLVRZQEURWKHU
György Zápolya was also killed at Mohács, for whom he dressed in mourning.”ᦱᦰᦵ
6]HNIIJDOVRDWWULEXWHGWKHUHLJQRIWKH6]DSRO\DLVWRWKHGHFD\WKDWKDGVHWLQ
GXULQJWKH-DJLHOORQLDQSHULRG˰7KDW˭VKRZ-RKQ˭VUXOHUHODSVHGLQWRWKH0LGGOH
Ages, when for lack of a strong central power the country disintegrated into
parts, each only defending and caring for itself, and the central power became
incapable of performing comprehensive tasks.”ᦱᦰᦶ
The evaluation of the Szapolyais did not change with the fall of the Horthy
UHJLPHDQGWKHSRVWᦱᦹᦴᦵHPHUJHQFHRIWKHFRPPXQLVWV\VWHP$OOWKDWKDSSHQHG
ZDVWRFRPSOHPHQWWKHGHFOLQHIURP0DWWKLDV˭VGHDWKRQZDUGVZLWKWKHLGHRORJ\
RIWKHFODVVVWUXJJOHDQGWKHFHQWXULHVROGP\WKRIDQWL+DEVEXUJ̐JKWLQJIRU
national independence. The indictment of two long centuries was drafted by
,VWY¢Q1HPHVN½UWK\LQWKHᦱᦹᦷᦰV˩WKHSROHPLFLWWULJJHUHGLVUHPHPEHUHGDV
the Mohács debate in Hungarian historical studies.ᦱᦰᦷ The moot question was
whether Hungary could have avoided the defeat at Mohács and the fall of the
late medieval Hungarian state relying on herself alone, or whether the fate of
the country already depended on the great powers. Although the dispute has not
been ended with a convincing conclusion as yet, it now seems the Hungarian
élite of this era, including the Szapolyais, did not bear full responsibility, for the
LQWHQWLRQVRIWKHJUHDWSRZHUVRIWKHWLPHZHUHGHFLVLYHIRUWKHLVVXH7KLV˩QRW
TXLWHQHZ˩FRQFOXVLRQPDGHDPRUHEDODQFHGDVVHVVPHQWRIWKHDJHSRVVLEOH
$QGU¢V.XELQ\LDQGKLVGLVFLSOHVKDYHPRGL̐HGWKHKLVWRULFDOHYDOXDWLRQRIWKH
-DJLHOORQLDQDJHLQVHYHUDOUHJDUGVᦱᦰᦸ and Gábor Barta has written fundamental
works on the Szapolyais.ᦱᦰᦹ+HZDVWKH̐UVWWRVWUHVVWKHQHHGWRUHLQWHUSUHWWKH
PRYHPHQWRIᦱᦵᦱᦴKHKDVH[SORUHGWKH̐UVWPRQWKVRI.LQJ-RKQ˭VUHLJQDQG
he has described the initial phases of the birth of the Transylvanian principality.

ᦱᦰᦳ˘,UªQ*XO¢FV\)HNHWHYĒOHJªQ\HN%XGDSHVWᦱᦹᦲᦷ
ᦱᦰᦴ˘*\XOD.U»G\Mohács%XGDSHVWᦱᦹᦲᦶ,GHPFestett király%XGDSHVWᦱᦹᦲᦹ,GHP$]HOVĒ+DEV
EXUJ%XGDSHVWᦱᦹᦳᦰ$QQD+RUY¢WKKrúdy Gyula Mohács-trilógiája (J\W·UWªQHOPLWªQ\UHJªQ\
V]½OHWªVH  3K' 'LVVHUWDWLRQ (·WY·V /RU¢QG 8QLYHUVLW\ )DFXOW\ RI +XPDQLWLHV %XGDSHVW
ᦲᦰᦱᦰᦱᦰᦹ˩ᦱᦱᦱ
ᦱᦰᦵ˘%¢OLQW+´PDQDQG*\XOD6]HNIIJ0DJ\DUW·UWªQHW9RO,,,%XGDSHVWᦱᦹᦳᦵᦱᦳ WKHFKDSWHUZDV
ZULWWHQE\*\XOD6]HNIIJ 
ᦱᦰᦶ˘+´PDQDQG6]HNIIJ0DJ\DUW·UWªQHW,,,ᦲᦹ
ᦱᦰᦷ˘%6]DE´ˬ$PRK¢FVLFVDWDDPRGHUQNRULW·UWªQHW®U¢VEDQ˭ᦳᦵᦱ˩ᦳᦵᦴ2QWKHGHEDWHZLWKIXUWKHU
OLWHUDWXUHVHH9LOPRV(UĒVˬ0RK¢FVYLWD˭0DJ\DU6]HPOH›M)RO\DPᦲᦳᦵ˩ᦶ ᦲᦰᦱᦴ ᦵᦵ˩ᦷᦶ
ᦱᦰᦸ˘1HXPDQQ&7´WKDQG3¢ORVIDOYLˬ.ªWªYV]¢]DGDV]WHUHRW®SL¢NIRJV¢J¢EDQ˭ᦷᦰ˩ᦷᦲ
ᦱᦰᦹ˘ˬ%DUWD*¢ERUSXEOLN¢FL´L˭7·UWªQHOPL6]HPOHᦳᦷᦱ ᦱᦹᦹᦵ ᦱᦲᦳ˩ᦱᦲᦸ

328
HOW THE SZAPOLYAI FAMILY WAS REMEMBERED FROM THE 16TH TO THE 20TH CENTURY

It is to him that we owe an adequate methodology for the pursuit of further


research.
)RUWKHWLPHEHLQJWKHHYDOXDWLRQRIWKH6]DSRO\DLVLVVRPHZKHUHEHWZHHQWKH
stereotypes of the past and the new assessments of the present. In Transylvania,
WKHUH ZDV D UHDO VWLU DIWHU ᦱᦹᦹᦰ DQG ORFDO +XQJDULDQ FRPPXQLWLHV KDYH EHHQ
PDNLQJH̏RUWVWRFKHULVKWKHPHPRU\RIWKH6]DSRO\DLVDQGWKHLUDJH7KLVLVD
clearly positive development, and the historical investigations still going on may
facilitate this process. It is still early to draw far-reaching conclusions from these
VLJQVEXWQRZZHKDYHDFKDQFHWRH[SHULHQFHWKHUHWXUQRIWKH6]DSRO\DLV˭FXOW
WRWKHSRLQWZKHUHLWVWDUWHGLQWKHᦱᦶWKFHQWXU\

329
MOHÁCS 1526–2026
RECONSTRUCTION AND REMEMBRANCE

From the 1460s onwards, the Szapolyai family played a decisive


role in the history of Hungary for more than a hundred years.
The studies in this volume highlight the extraordinary careers
of members of the family’s first generation, which made them
the greatest landowning magnates of the country. Relying on the
wealth, prestige and military force of the dynasty, John, a member
of the second generation, successfully governed Transylvania for
a decade and a half; it was partly due to this achievement that in
1526 the majority of Hungarian noblemen found him worthy of the
orphaned throne of Louis II. The writings in this volume explore
King John’s foreign, urban and church politics, the cultural trends
at his court, as well as his relations with the Ottoman Empire,
and those of his successors (Queen Isabella and her son John II,
elected king of Hungary). What we learn from these texts is that the
history of the Szapolyais can be divided into two parts: after their
successful rise as kings of Hungary, their family background was
no longer sufficient for effective governance. The country became
a battleground for global empires, and the Szapolyais,
similarly to the Jagiellonians, were unable to
overcome their vulnerable circumstances. After
centuries of the subject being neglected, this
volume undertakes to give the last Hungarian
royal dynasty the evaluation it deserves.

9 789634 162360

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